Conan: I'm a zaibatsu in Tokyo

The pier on Hachijojima Island.

Zheng Yi had his hands in his pockets.

Ai sat quietly on the bench next to him, holding a book about marine life.

Hongye, wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat, stood dignifiedly to the side, occasionally looking up at the sky.

The three of them were wearing matching outfits, which made Ai a little unhappy.

But as long as she wore this outfit, she could get a lot of "face-shaping coupons" and the like, so she gritted her teeth and wore it anyway.

While aimlessly wandering around, his gaze soon fell on the entrance to the dock, where several familiar figures were walking towards him.

It's Ran, Sonoko, and Professor Agasa, with the three members of the Detective Boys following behind.

"Zhengyi-nii!" Sonoko, with her sharp eyes, spotted Zhengyi at a glance and immediately waved and greeted him warmly.

Zheng Yi waved to them, "Hey, you came pretty fast."

Ran and Sonoko walked over quickly at almost the same time, with Professor Agasa following behind carrying large and small bags, while the three members of the Detective Boys excitedly surrounded them.

"Shoichi-nii! Momiji-neechan! Haibara! You're all up so early!" Ayumi skipped over to Ai. "Wow, you're really wearing matching outfits! So cute!"

Ai's face flushed red.

Matching outfits with your child, how embarrassing.

“They really do look like a family!” Genta said.

Ai silently buried her face in the marine life guide in her hands, only revealing her dead fish eyes.

“That’s not right!” Ayumi retorted, “They were originally a family.”

Ai glanced at Ayumi from above the book pages, then quickly looked away, pretending to be very interested in the jellyfish in the book.

Sonoko said with a grin, "You guys actually managed to get Ai to wear matching outfits with her child."

"It's just a piece of clothing, what's wrong with wearing it?" Ai said with a straight face.

She still had some sense of shame.

"Isn't Conan coming?" Masakazu asked.

“Conan got on the wrong ship; he’s with Inspector Shiratori now,” Sonoko said.

"Oh."

Zheng nodded, not paying any attention.

It seems another murder has occurred, but it's a minor matter.

After a brief chat and a few phone calls with Conan, who said he couldn't come back for the time being.

"Alright, alright," Professor Agasa said, "The ship is about to depart, isn't it? Let's hurry up and board, find a good spot to enjoy the scenery."

"Oh! Look at the whale!" Genta excitedly waved his fist.

"I wonder if we'll be able to see dolphins?" Ayumi asked, full of anticipation.

The group chatted and laughed as they walked toward the ferry that was about to depart, guided by the dock staff.

Ai walked silently in the middle of the group.

Yuanzi was carefree and soon stuck to Hongye's side, chattering away and asking all sorts of questions, occasionally turning around to wink at Xiaolan.

He also subtly inquired about her relationship with Zhengyi.

On Hachijō Island, the sea breeze carries a hint of salty, damp coolness.

The sightseeing boat was quietly moored at the shore, its hull pristine white.

At the bow of the ship, a burly, dark-skinned middle-aged man was skillfully inspecting the ship's equipment.

He was wearing a T-shirt with a whale print, a towel around his neck, and a hearty smile on his face.

"Welcome to Hachijojima!" The middle-aged man greeted Professor Agasa and his group warmly as they approached.

"I am Kanji Ushio, today's captain and guide."

"whale?"

Ayumi muttered something under her breath.

The pronunciation of "Kyu-bi" is similar to "Kujira" (whale).

Professor Agasa nodded with a smile: "Then I'll leave it to you."

"No trouble at all! It's my honor to let you all see the most beautiful whale!" Kanji Ushio patted his chest, his voice booming.

Sonoko, arm in arm with Ran, looked at the ship with curiosity: "You seem to know this place very well."

“Of course!” Kanji Ushio smiled smugly. “I’ve lived in this area for over thirty years. I can find out which areas have whales and which have dolphins with my eyes closed!”

"Waaah—"

With a long, drawn-out whistle, the ship slowly sailed away from the dock.

After about an hour of sailing, the sea gradually calmed down.

Kanji Ushio picked up the ship's megaphone, and the sound was amplified throughout the entire ship:

"Attention passengers, we are about to enter waters where whales are frequently seen. Please be prepared, you might spot one of these giants at any moment!"

"Wow! Really?" Genta jumped up excitedly, almost bumping into Mitsuhiko next to him.

"Uncle Whale, why do whales spout water?" Ayumi asked curiously.

Kanji Ushio laughed heartily: "Good question! Actually, that's not water, it's the gas exhaled by whales."

“Whales are mammals and breathe with lungs just like us.”

"When they surface to breathe, the warm, moist air in their lungs condenses into tiny water droplets when it encounters the cold air outside, making it look like they are spraying water."

"Oh, I see!" Mitsuhiko exclaimed in sudden realization. "It's like the white mist we see when we breathe in winter!"

“That’s right! The kid is very smart!” Kanji Ushio gave Mitsuhiko an approving look.

The three little ones were asking all sorts of questions while they were curled up in a chair reading a book.

Ai was puzzled that Shoichi could be reading so quietly, so she leaned over and peeked at him, then pouted.

This guy was actually reading "Seventeen Ways to Cook a Whale".

That bastard is looking at a recipe!

"Why are you looking at a recipe? Are you planning to cook a whale?"

"Hmm, I've never tried this before, I'd like to give it a try," Zheng Yi said.

Ai shook her head.

Whales are so cute, why would you eat them?
So tempting!
Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out at the bow of the ship.

"Look! It's a whale!"

Xiao Lan pointed to the sea to the left front of the bow of the ship and shouted excitedly.

Not far away, a huge black dorsal fin sliced ​​through the water, followed by a thick column of water shooting into the sky, forming a small rainbow in the sunlight.

"It's a humpback whale!" Kanji Ushio shouted excitedly. "Look, everyone, they're about to leap out of the water!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a huge humpback whale leaped out of the water, its massive body tracing a graceful arc in the air before crashing back down, creating a huge splash.

"Wow--!"

A gasp of amazement rippled through the ship; everyone was awestruck by the spectacular sight.

Zheng Yi looked at the whale leaping out of the water and quickly compared it with the picture on the recipe.

Hongye held her camera, looking annoyed.

She didn't capture the moment the whale leaped out.

"It's so beautiful..." Sonoko murmured to herself, "This is the first time I've ever seen a live humpback whale!"

"Waaah—"

Another whistle blew, and Kanji Ushio picked up the megaphone: "Passengers, we are about to return to port. We hope you have a great time today!"

Even as they were about to return to port, the enthusiasm of the people on board remained undiminished, and they discussed the whales with great interest.

All this excitement has nothing to do with Zhengyi.

Zheng Yi hid in a corner, looking at several emails sent by different people.

[Vermouth: Gin has given Vodka orders to take action against you. Be careful.] [Bourbon: Watch out for Vodka, watch out for Binga.]

[Kiel: Protect those around you.]

What does it mean to be the popular choice?
Zheng Yi didn't try to bribe these people, but they would immediately inform him of any disturbances within the organization.

Even if it's an order from Gin.

It's unbelievable that Zhengyi's prestige has reached this level.

But Zheng Yi was still a little dissatisfied.

Vermouth and the other two sent emails to themselves, but why didn't Vodka and Binga send them?
Vodka is Gin's lackey, and it's one thing that his backer doesn't get along with him, but what's up with Binga?
Rum is always very polite to me. Even when Gin is targeting me, Rum will still message me. What do you mean by this, Binga?
Do you look down on me?
Zheng Yi was in a bad mood, feeling that Binga was disrespecting him.

It would have been one thing if Vermouth and the others hadn't emailed him, but they did, while Binga didn't.

Zheng Yi is not very shrewd.

"Hmph! How dare you look down on me? You'll pay for this sooner or later!"

"Who are you going to make a scene for this time?"

Hongye leaned closer and asked.

Throughout the journey, Zheng Yi showed no interest in sightseeing; while others looked at whales, he looked at recipes.

He wants to make others look bad when they're chatting.

“An ungrateful person,” Zheng Yi said.

Hongye nodded.

Hmm, I wonder which unlucky guy has messed with Zhengyi again.

That stingy guy will definitely not let that person get away with it.

……

Binga sat in a black convertible SUV, his fingertips tapping idly on the steering wheel.

His golden corn dreadlocks were particularly eye-catching.

In the passenger seat, Vodka was fiddling with a communicator, wearing sunglasses.

Binga looked at him, and something just didn't feel right.

"Hey, Vodka." Binga finally broke the silence, his voice tinged with impatience.

"You called me out here saying you had an urgent mission. We've been driving for half an hour now, and you still haven't told me who we're supposed to kidnap?"

Vodka's fingers paused for a moment, then he chuckled dryly. "Don't rush, Binga. This matter... is a bit special."

“Special?” Binga raised an eyebrow.

Vodka rubbed his temples, his voice becoming somewhat hesitant: "This person was originally someone Gin wanted to kidnap himself, but he's in Germany right now and can't come back for the time being. So..."

"So you came to find me?" Binga asked.

As Rum's confidant, Binga was well aware of his position within the organization.

After Curaçao was given to Zheng Yi, he became Rum's new favorite.

But in Gin's eyes, he was not someone to be trusted.

What important task will Gin assign him?

“Binga, listen to me.” Vodka turned around, his expression turning serious.

"This mission is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"Oh?" Binga became interested. "How so?"

“If you can successfully complete this mission…” Vodka lowered his voice, “the higher-ups in the organization will look at you with new respect.”

"Look at me with new eyes?" Binga scoffed. "You mean Lord Rum? He always thought highly of me."

“No, not just Lord Rum,” Vodka shook his head and said, “It includes Brother Gin, and even Cointreau.”

Binga stopped tapping his fingers on the steering wheel.

Cointreau?

Lord Rum values ​​Cointreau highly.

Moreover, I've heard that Gin and Cointreau don't get along. How could one mission win the favor of both of them at the same time?

Are you kidding me?
"You mean, as long as I kidnap this person, I can rise rapidly in the organization?" Binga asked.

Being favored by these three, it would be difficult not to rise rapidly in one's career.

This is a good opportunity.

“That’s right!” Vodka nodded vigorously. “As long as you listen to me and do as I say, step by step, I guarantee you will get everything you want.”

Binga squinted.

You're just a driver, how can you give me a chance to rise through the ranks?

And given Vodka's intelligence, can we really believe that?
But he did not refuse.

Since Curaçao was given away, Rum has trusted him greatly, but he always felt that he still lacked a major achievement that would allow him to truly establish himself.

Unlike Curaçao, he never held a significant position in Rum's society.

Gin's faction has always been eyeing him covetously. If he cannot demonstrate his value sooner or later, he will be discarded.

Too many people have been abandoned by Gin.

“Okay.” Binga restarted the car.

"I agree. But you need to be clear: who exactly are you going to kidnap?"

Vodka breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "Don't worry, I'll tell you step by step."

Binga frowned.

Vodka still wouldn't tell him who he was going to kidnap.

"Are the people kidnapped this time of high status?"

“She’s not a very high-ranking person, but she’s someone very important to the organization,” Vodka said vaguely. “Once you bring her back, everything will be over.”

Binga nodded.

As long as the person's status isn't too high, it's not too troublesome.

Vodka scratched his head and said, "Anyway, I'll tell you when you encounter it."

Binga did not ask any further questions.

"Then why did you come to me?" Binga asked.

Vodka said, "Big Brother and Chianti, the guys in Germany and Japan, they all... cough cough, they all have other missions."

Binga nodded.

Got it, the guys still in Japan aren't very obedient.

The organization had no one else available, so they had to let Binga do it.

It seems that the claim that he rose rapidly through the ranks was not an exaggeration.

As the only person in the organization who can actually get things done, it's impossible for him not to rise rapidly in rank.

“By the way, Binga,” Vodka suddenly spoke up, “it might be a bit troublesome later. There might be someone watching that target.”

“FBI?” Binga’s eyes sharpened instantly.

“No, it’s not him.” Vodka shook his head. “It’s someone else. But don’t worry, I’ll help you.”

"Hmph." Binga sneered, "I hope you don't hold me back."

"Don't worry," Vodka said.

She definitely has people watching her, much more terrifying than the FBI.

Hopefully, Binga will be alright after he finishes.

However, don't even think about rising to great heights; just staying alive is a success.

Vodka took out his phone and glanced at it.

Damn it, why are plane tickets to escape to Africa so hard to book? I still haven't managed to get one! (End of Chapter)